Challenge to Atheists
Atheism is a logical way to live one's life. It compels a person to take responsibility for his own actions and not to blame it on God, the devil or other spiritual forces. Since an atheist believes that this physical life is all there is he will try to make the best of it and not suffer insufferable conditions in the hope of some imagined afterlife. If all peoples were atheists there would be none of the conflicts we see today that are fueled by different belief systems. Atheists are as upstanding in general as any Christian, Jew or Buddhist. You don't have to believe in God to be a moral person.
Having said all those nice things it is now time to take a shot at the smug atheist worldview. The atheist thinks he has it all figured out. Atheists can point to the contradictions in the Bible, the track record of the Christian church, the conflicts produced by competing religions in the world, and of course science is on their side when it comes to evolution - the fossil record will prove evolution except to the most enthusiastic creationist. Science also suports the view of a very old universe - no surprise there.
A few remarks. Firstly, I don't think atheists think 'they have it all figured out'. Clearly, having it all figured out, knowing the Truth (with a capital T) is something religions profess. Secondly, I am an atheist but I still think we would fight wars even if everyone was an atheist. Religions are not the only ideologies humans are willing to fight about.
Now here is the challenge: Does becoming an atheist make a person a better human being? Does not believing in God prompt or inspire a person to positive actions. Christianity (and other religions) can point to many, many people whose lives were changed for the better by adopting the faith. Can atheism make the same claim? Can atheists point to examples of people who have had their lives positively changed? Have any drug addicts given up their addictions as a result of discarding religion? Have any thieves stopped stealing and started earning an honest living as a result of becoming infidels? Have any abusive husbands stopped beating their wives as a result of abandoning a belief in God? In short, if atheism is such a positive way to live what real good has it done? Can it even be called a "belief-system"? (After all it is really about a lack of belief - isn't it?) If you would like to comment on the positive effects of atheism (if they indeed do exist) then E-mail me your views and I will post them below.
Proving that the Bible is flawed only proves that either the Christian God does not exist or that he has a high tolerance for incompetance and error in his sacred book. Pointing to the performance of the Christian church and other religions over the ages only proves that those organized religions were flawed and perhaps do not actually represent the Creator. Pointing to the evil in this world, the pointless deaths, the triumph of evil men, the violence in nature - this does not prove that God does not exist - only that he is absent from the scene or that he does not wish to intervene. Evolution does not necessarily pre-empt God - he could easily have used that method to produce the life diversity that we see on this earth. It could easily be argued that life is designed to evolve on its own most of the time and yet be subject to intervention as God desires. Debunking or criticizing religion is mostly a negative activity. It is a positive effort only when it frees people from a strangle-hold placed on them by too-authoritarian beliefs. After the chains have been broken - then what? A void has been created. Is the person really any better off than before?
It depends on the person, and the exact religious 'strangle-hold' which was placed on them. My position always is that it must be a personal choice. For some being an atheist might mean liberation, for others becoming a Muslim might mean liberation. To each his own. In my opinion it is a mistake to assume one way of life is perfect for all these billions of unique individuals.
Can religion make an individual a better human being? Of course. But it can also make an individual a worse human being. All ideologies are dangerous if pushed to the extremes IMHO, regardless if they are secular or religious.
And thats only on the personal level, at the level of society there are other dangers. Some ideologies are easier to abuse than others obviously. While I believe Christianity can make someone a better human, I also believe institutionalized Christianity can be a threat to our freedom and, yes, well-being. One only has to look at history to see that. I personally believe it is no different with Islam. IMHO both religions provide enough opportunities for abuse, abuse that can easily lead to totalitarian forms of government and an attempt to push everyone into that 'one True' way of life.
So to answer your question. Atheism does not in itself make for better human beings, since it is indeed a negative, merely a denial of God. But IMHO it has led the way for new ideas, like the idea that sovereignty lies with the people (ie. democracy) and not with God. And that people must find their own way too happiness, instead of being force-fed one way of life (ie. liberty).
I hope this helps.
